Improvement in harvesters



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Harvester.

No. 19,377. Patented Feb. 16, 1858.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

- FREDERICK NISHWITZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW'YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 19,377. dated February 16, 1858.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, F. NISHWITZ, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harvesters and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and cx- 'act description ot' the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation ot' my iinprovement, taken in the line x, Fig. 2, a portion of the draft-pole being also broken away, as indicated by the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan or top View of the same. y

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

This invention consists in the peculiar means employed for adjusting the sickle so that it may be sustained at a proper height from the surface ot the ground as the machine is moved from place to place.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention,I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the main frame of a harvester, and B is the sickle `attached to theiront end of said frame. The frame A is ot' rectangular form, constructed in the usual way, and the sickle is att-ached to the frame in the ordinary or any suitable manner. The frame A is mounted on two wheels, O C', the axle D of which is permanently attached to the frame a little back ot' its center, the axle being secured to projections a on the frame. The wheels C ofcourse are tted loosely on'the axle, the latter being stationary. The wheel O', which is the driving-wheel, has its periphery provided with projecting teeth or ledges b to prevent its slipping. Motion is communicated to the sickle from the driving-wheel by any of the known means now employed for such purpose.

E represents the draftpole, the back end of which is connected bya metal strap or loop, F, being itted loosely on the axle D, so that the latter may turn freely without aftectingth draft-pole. rIhe draft-pole passes through a guide-plate, G, which is attached to the front Yend of the frame A.

To the back end of the draft-pole E thelower end of a lever, H, is pivoted, as shown at c. This lever has a cord or chain, d, attached to it at about its center, said cord or chain passing overapulley, e, in the poleE and attached to the front end or" theframe A.

To the lever H a pawl, I, is attached, said pawl, when the lever H is drawn fully back, catching behind a plate, J, fitted in the pole E, and on the front end of a small lever,f, the fulcrum of which is at g.

To the front part or" the plate J a stop, K, is attached. This stop is slotted longitudinally, and is secured to the plateJ bya set-screw, h, so that it may be adjusted nearer to or farther from the back end of the plate.

From the above description it will be seen that when the upper end of lever H is drawn or shoved fully back the pawl I will catch behind the back end of plate J and the cord or chain d will elevatev the front end of frame A, the pole E of course being kept at a certain height about in a horizontal position, as it is attached to and held up by the team. rlhe sickle B, when the lever His shoved fully back, is elevated sufficiently high from the surface of the ground to clear ordinary obstructions, and the machine may be drawn from place to place without difficulty. The driver may let down the sickle at any time by merely placing his foot on the hack end of leverf, the frontend ot' said lever being thereby thrown up, and liberating the pawl l, so that the sickle and front end of the frame A will fall by their own gravity, the stop K keeping the sickle the desired height from the surface of the ground, the height being regulated by adjusting said stop. As the machine is drawn along the i'ront end of the frame A and the sickle B will remain depressed by their' own gravity, the sickle rising when passing over small obstruction or elevations. When, however, the team is backedthe draft-poleE will, in consequence of being connected to the axle -D and said axle being attached to the frame at or back ofits center, throw up the front end of the frame, and consequently the sickle B, as shown in red, Fig. 1, and the machine therefore, while being turned at the ends of swaths, will have the sickle raised free from the ground and cut grass or grain thereon.

I would remark that it is preferable to have the axle D secured to the frame A back of its center, as the front end of the frame A then rises with less backward pressure of the pole than if the axle be placed at the center of the frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I elaim as'new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv i,

The lever H, attached to the draft-pole E, and connee'ted by the cord or chain d to the front end of the frame A, in connection with the pawl I, leverf, and adjustable stop K, the whole being arranged to operate as and for the purpose seb forth.,

FREDERICK NISHWITZ. Witnesses:

J. D. BUCKLEY, MICH. HUGHES. 

